title: Effect of gender on pain perception and analgesic consumption in laparoscopic cholecystectomy: An observational study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence regarding gender affecting the response to pain and its treatment is inconsistent in literature. The objective of this prospective, observational study was to determine the effect of gender on pain perception and postoperative analgesic consumption in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 60 male and 60 female patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Patients were observed for additional intraoperative and postoperative analgesia. Numerical rating scale was documented at 10 min interval for 1 h in post-anesthesia recovery room and at 4, 8, and 12 h postoperatively. Boluses of tramadol given as rescue analgesia were also noted. There were no dropouts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean pain scores were significantly higher in female patients at 20 and 30 min following surgery. Mean dose of tramadol consumption was significantly higher in female patients for the first postoperative hour (P = 0.002), but not in the later period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Female patients exhibited greater intensity of pain and required higher doses of analgesics compared to males in in the immediate postoperative period in order to achieve a similar degree of analgesia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Aziza M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Fauzia A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Aliya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Tabish
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chawla
authors.forename: Syed I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Azam
keywords: Gender difference; opioids; pain perception; postoperative analgesia